Author: Kristina Wheeler

Under the supervision of the Education department, the beach program volunteer will assist in the implementation of marine science school field trips. This may include, but is not limited to: setting up for beach programs, pulling seine nets in the surf zone, assisting in the teaching of children, cleaning up after programs, and assisting in the maintenance of beach program supplies.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of local marine fish and invertebrates

Knowledge of coastal processes

Knowledge of local flora found on South Carolina Barrier Islands

Ability to work with large groups of school children

Ability to function outdoors in a wide range of weather conditions

Ability to make competent decisions

Ability to provide excellent customer service to our park visitors

Ability to follow instructions effectively and work in a responsible and competent manner

Ability to establish and maintain harmonious relationships

If interested, please email Beth Burkett at bburkett@ccprc.com to sign up. Volunteers will be asked to register with the Park’s volunteer system.

Jennifer Kindel, with the SC Department of Natural Resources, will be conducting targeted mist netting at properties in Beaufort, Charleston and Greenville Counties. The goal is to capture northern long-eared bats (any Myotid bat or tri-colored bat capture will be useful). Jennifer would like to have local volunteer help to record data, assist in decontamination to avoid the spread of White-nose Syndrome in bats, and help raising and lowering the nets. No volunteer handling of bats is permitted unless the volunteer has up-to-date rabies shots, but it will be a great opportunity to see these wonderful creatures and be part of an important research project. During the 2016 season, 106 individuals of eight different bat species were captured, and other nocturnal creatures encountered included Southern Flying Squirrels, Luna Moths and Polyphemus Silkmoths.

Starting at the end of May through early August 2017, sites to be netted include Victoria Bluff Heritage Preserve, Tom Yawkey Heritage Preserve, Watson-Cooper Heritage Preserve, and Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve. This involves being on site in the evening for set-up and netting until 2:00 AM and then clean-up (decontamination of nets, ropes, clothing and other materials).

Be trained to “beach” with a purpose. Help protect nesting & resting coastal birds by being an Audubon Shorebird Steward this spring and summer. Educate beach goers, help count nests and chicks, all while hanging out at the beach! This training will give you a knowledge base and protocol for being an Audubon Shorebird Steward.

You might be interested in helping with a new Audubon South Carolina citizen science initiative called Climate Watch. Stemming from the National Audubon Society’s 2014 climate report – which found that half of U.S. birds are threatened by climate change by the year 2080 – Climate Watch will feature on-the-ground surveys to help groundtruth the predictions of the climate models in this report. Read more about Climate Watch here: http://www.audubon.org/conservation/climate-watch-pilot-program .

Surveys will focus on species that are easy to identify and show a high degree of habitat loss (or gain) based on this report. In 2017, we’ll be focusing on Eastern Bluebirds in South Carolina. I’ve been working with the Charleston Audubon chapter to set up surveys in our area, and I’m looking for a few more volunteers to help out. If interested, you would simply go out one morning during the survey window and stop at 12 predetermined points and conduct a five-minute count of all of the Eastern Bluebirds (and any other species that you’re able to identify) seen and heard at each point. This will hopefully be a fun, easy way to get out and count birds as part of an important census!

The one catch is that the first survey window is here (January 15th – 30th); if you are interested, please let me know as soon as possible so that I can work with you to determine the best area to survey. If you are interested but can’t participate this January, let me know as we will be conducting surveys again during the breeding season (June 2017).

If you have questions or ideas, please don’t hesitate to ask. Thanks for your time and I hope to hear from you soon!

Francis Marion National Forest Cleanup: February 4, 2017 — Join PalmettoPride and the USDA Forest Service with help from Palmetto Conservation Foundation as they celebrate the 10th anniversary of their most popular cleanup event.

SAVE THE DATE now on your shiny new 2017 calendars! Come mingle with fellow graduates of the Charleston Master Naturalist program and meet members of the Board of Directors for the Coastal Master Naturalist Association. Enjoy an afternoon surrounded by your nature tribe full of like-minded individuals! The event will go on rain or shine! More details soon to follow – Be on the lookout for a Sign-up Genius email for this event!

Help out and hone skills by participating in the 117th Audubon Christmas Bird Count!! Volunteers are needed for the Sea Island CBC that will be held on Wednesday January 4th 2017. If you are interested in participating in this count (which includes Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, Wadmalaw Island and much of John’s Island – please contact Aaron Given at mailto:agiven@kiawahisland.org or call (843) 768-9166. With your help, the data will fuel important science and conservation work.

Surplus Permaculture Design is offering a course where you can gain techniques to help identify and use local trees and plants, come to an understanding of their significance in the landscape and practice using these plants for food, medicine and utility. You will also study how natural plants form guilds and communities and how these structures can be utilized or replicated to provide for many of needs. For more information and/or to register, please visit this link!

Audubon’s 117th Christmas Bird Count will take place Wednesday, December 14th, 2016 through Thursday, January 5th, 2017. Since the Christmas Bird count began over a century ago, it has relied on the dedication and commitment of volunteers like you. Please visit this link to learn more.

There are several counts that will take place in the Charleston area. Please visit this link for a searchable map view of the circles that are planned to be run near us (or far away if you are traveling) in the 117th CBC. The more volunteers that the area compilers can enlist, the greater the coverage they can provide to their count areas. It is a wonderful way to get time outdoors and gain your volunteer hours!